Future1000, a new national training programme to get more young women into the music industry by equipping under-18s with the skills they need to kick start their careers, launches today. Led by BBC Radio 1 DJ Jaguar and in-school music education platform FutureDJs, the free initiative aims to redress the persistent gender imbalance in professional music - highlighted recently by the latest UK Music Diversity Survey which noted women make up only 16% of all artists in the industry.

Launching at a time when the impact of the pandemic on culture has further restricted opportunities in an already difficult-to-access industry, Future1000 will focus on levelling the musical playing field at a grassroots level by providing 1,000 girls and gender minorities with the access to the training, tools and industry mentorship that can be critical for early success.

United on a mission to increase opportunities for young artists and make music education more accessible for all, Future1000 sees Jaguar team up with FutureDJs to offer young women and gender minority students across the UK a summer-long course that will cover a range of industry career paths, including radio presenting, DJing, music production and management. Inspired by Jaguar's own experiences as an emerging female POC DJ, and brought to life via FutureDJs' educational expertise and network, Future1000 will focus its support on young girls, trans and non-binary people from underrepresented backgrounds, groups that typically face the most barriers in entering the industry.

The 12-part online course, which doesn't require any equipment or previous knowledge, offers participants the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business via a mixture of interactive artist-led sessions with established talent and leaders, alongside a series of online modules developed in line with London College of Music Education [LMCE] accredited course tutors. The scheme will also offer schools, who struggle to equip their classrooms with modern music technology, the opportunity to apply for free practice equipment for students taking part.

Powered by FutureDJs', the initiative continues the music education platform's longstanding commitment to ignite more young people to enter the industry by inspiring them through the music genres and artists they love. Instrumental in securing DJing as part of the GCSE syllabus, the organisation have been working closely with schools since their inception in 2015, and have been providing opportunities for British students to learn from industry greats such a Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Goldie, Tiffany Calver and Yasmin Evans.

Jaguar, co-founder of the Future1000, commented; "Our hope for equality lies in the next generation and that's why Future1000 will help improve gender diversity and representation at the very start of young people's journeys into music, at a time when access to opportunities and inclusivity is most critical. My own experience of coming up in the industry, and often being the only girl in the room, has motivated me to make a change for others from similar backgrounds, and I hope that Future1000 helps to show young girls, trans and non-binary people what they're capable of."

Austen Smart, co-founder of FutureDJs & Future1000, commented; "FutureDJs is on a mission to remix music education and make learning accessible and inspiring for all young musicians. By helping more young women, trans and non-binary students take their first steps into the music industry through the empowerment of 1000 young music makers, we want to challenge outdated structures, and create real opportunities for the next generation of talent."

Future1000 is currently recruiting 1000 young girls to take part in the programme, which runs from May to December. To apply, schools and students should visit future1000.org to register their interest. Those who are invited to take part will be enrolled in the course, which will run across the summer holidays and until the end of 2021, and will also receive free access to the educational tools they need to participate, including a license for online music production software, Soundtrap (worth £125).

For more information, or to apply visit: http://www.future1000.org